Google emergence revolutionized the world in many diverse ways. Imagining a world where we have all kinds of information on the palm of our hands was something unimaginable for the past decades, but now, it has become our daily life.
Like every technological revolution, the emergence of Google occurred quickly and caused deep changes. Surveys have become the main means of informing yourself. Of course, the democratization of information is something good and desired, but limits need to be imposed. This implementation in everyday life has made it difficult for people to question the origin and quality of information.
One of the biggest discussions about Google’s functionality is when people consult “Doctor Google” to get quick and effortless answers to their symptoms and diseases, rather than consulting a real specialist. Do these patients understand the risks of trusting their health and wellbeing on a software?
The main risks
We know that Google offers a large amount of information from the most diverse sources, and with that it may be impossible to filter everything that is indexed in the networks. That’s why we are exposed to receive information with no scientific basis, ending up generating misinformation and, consequently, can lead those who seek quick solutions to even greater problems such as incorrect self-diagnosis, use of drugs on their own or something much worse: the delay of a serious diagnosis.
But still there exist those who feel confident and claim to know the difference between reliable information and slanderous information, but they forget an important factor: the software works and delivers contents in search volume, not in clinical criteria.
Consuming a kind of information doesn’t mean that you have the control over it, especially when it comes to a diagnosis, where in many times a complete physical examination is often necessary, a complete medical history survey, among many other actions that can only be taken by a doctor, who will have all the necessary subsidies for a correct and complete diagnosis.
According to geriatrician Dra. Gisane Cavalcanti, “Reading about a symptom isn’t the same as understanding how the human body works or interpreting an exam. It is called the ‘illusion of competence’. The person feels that they have mastered the subject, but they are using incomplete and often incorrect knowledge — which can be as dangerous as ignorance.”
Why has this practice become common?
In 2022, the Institute of Students for Health Politics (ISHP) released alarming data about the access of Brazilian population to basic health care through the SUS, in which 72,69 million people in Brazil are still not covered by the program, which represents 34% of the country’s population. Of this total, at least 33,3 million people are also not covered by private health plans.
Due to this lack of access in public and private health services, people turn to Google as an affordable solution to treat an illness or in search of “quick relief” from a symptom. Which is understandable, but this practice can lead the patient to fragile and potentially harmful solutions.
In addition to a context where the access to healthcare is limited, the accelerated dynamics of today’s society increasingly transforms individuals into anxious and immediate people.
This seek for results affects several areas of life, from work and education, to relationships and health. For this reason, self-diagnosed has been growing more and more, since the practice is seen by anxious people as a quick way to treat their health in an attempt to reduce restless/anxious thoughts; whereas for immediate people, this is a way to “take the disease off of” their to-do list.
How healthcare professionals deal with this practice
Self-diagnosis is increasingly common, healthcare professionals need strategies to deal with patients who arrive at the office with a fixed idea about what they believe based on online searches. This can compromise medical listening, which ends up making it difficult to find the right treatment for the patient and their health condition.
During consultations, professionals seek guidance with clarity, empathy and accessibility so that communication is more effective and all doubts are clarified. They acknowledge the difficult reality of healthcare in Brazil and understand a patient’s curiosity and concern for their own health. For Dr. Gisane, it is essential that professionals be welcoming:
“We treat this type of patient always with a lot of listening, welcoming and, of course, education about their health. It is important to recognize that this search comes from an attempt to take care of themselves. It is our role to clarify, with empathy, what is myth and what is science. The consultation is the place for dialogue, not for discussing information.”
Health professionals also emphasize the importance of working together with the media and the internet to develop critical and informed citizens, since information dissemination platforms (such as Google itself) should do their part, verifying sources and avoiding medical sensationalism.
Ways to minimize the situation
The fact that self-diagnosis through Google is a dangerous practice does not mean that the Internet is an enemy of health, and vice versa. The problem lies in the way we use these tools to take care of our health, because when we consume information with miraculous and overly simplified promises such as “Take these natural pills or follow this specific diet, and you will see how quickly you will improve!”, we are certainly contributing to the misinformation of others and ourselves. We should avoid forums, social networks or sensationalist videos. These media outlets are often more concerned with getting views than providing useful, reliable and truthful information. This way, we will not delay a reliable diagnosis and qualified treatment.
We need to become critical individuals who are able to question sources, interpret information and understand that Google is not a substitute for a doctor. Searching for official and scientific sources, such as websites of the Ministry of Health or medical societies, as well as educational information on prevention, vaccination, healthy eating and exercise are very welcome.
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The article above was edited by Isabela Theodoro.
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